CROTON-ON-HUDSON — The Board of Trustees shifted $30,409 inside this year's budget on Wednesday so the village police department can replace its service weapons — a cost that was not in the 2025-26 general fund when it was adopted. Resolution 257-2025, adopted 5-0 according to the minutes, authorizes the village treasurer to add $30,409 to the police equipment line, covering it by cutting $13,368.90 from contingency and recognizing $17,040.10 in additional state aid. The minutes record the department as seeking to move to a new make and model of service weapon. The board also settled snow removal for the winter. Resolution 256-2025 authorizes the village manager to contract with New England Property Maintenance of Mahopac for the 2025-26 season at last year's rates: a $70 minimum charge per property, $0.20 per square foot for four inches of snow or less, $0.50 per square foot above that, and $70 a bag for calcium chloride on ice. That contract is what the village falls back on when a property owner does not clear an adjoining sidewalk within the 12 hours the code allows, and the cost can be charged back to the owner. Village Treasurer Genette Toone read the warrants — $78,304.33 from the general fund, $4,499.68 from water, $750.41 from sewer, $48,604.25 from capital and $1,330 from trust, $133,488.67 in all — and the board approved them 5-0. On the consent agenda the board accepted a $263.77 donation, plus supplies, left over from a resident's Eagle Scout service project. Trustee Len Simon pulled the item out to say so aloud, wanting to "just thank Spencer who is providing us with a contribution left over from his Eagle Scout project," Read 1:56▶ and noting that "we're very grateful to Spencer for his work." Read 1:56▶ The shutdown, from the podium and the dais The federal government shutdown ran through most of the 21-minute meeting. Ed Riely of Truesdale Drive, the only speaker in the non-agenda comment period, opened by urging the village to help residents hit by the lapse in SNAP food benefits, then turned to a presentation on a gas pipeline expansion the board had heard weeks earlier, arguing that electricity demand will climb sharply and that nuclear power is being written off too quickly. Riely also questioned the police details at utility work sites. "to have two real live policemen guarding each road construction site is a waste of time and money," Read 7:30▶ Riely said, noting that the sites already have flaggers with signs at both ends. Village Manager Bryan Healy answered him at the close of the meeting. "our police officers are sometimes requested by utility providers, whether it's ConEd, Verizon, to be stationed on roads where there's, you know, more traffic," Read 17:11▶ Healy said, pointing to a Con Edison gas main replacement then underway on Batten Road. When a road has to be fully closed the utility asks for a police presence, Healy said; when one lane stays open the crews use their own flaggers. "those hours are paid for by Con Edison. They reimburse us for that cost." Read 17:11▶ Reports Trustee Cara Politi answered the public comment from the dais. "Republicans control all three branches of government. Our representative is a Republican. He is aware that we would like him to reopen the government," Read 10:06▶ Politi said, adding that she was concerned for families affected whether or not they receive SNAP, and that the village had put a banner on its website pointing people to available services. Politi also flagged a screening of "Arrivals" on Nov. 8, presented through the IDEA committee in partnership with the Unitarian church, and the library's annual book and bake sale. Trustee Nora Nicholson said the Croton Food Pantry would run an emergency distribution from 9 to 11 a.m. that Saturday in the Holy Name of Mary Church basement, where the Croton-Cortlandt food pantry operates. Simon reported that the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee had launched a new version of Slow Down Croton, with lawn signs and stands available at the police department, and that the committee had worked on locations for the next shared-road signs, with Maple Street slower because it is a state road. Project Mover, the bike share, will pause for the winter starting in December and stay down through March, Simon said, with room to add hubs when it returns. He also reported that the Rotary's every-other-Friday food packing had gone from about 140 bags to 209 in the week SNAP funding lapsed, and that he expected the number to keep rising while the shutdown lasted. Simon rounded out his report with the Planning Board's meeting the night before, which approved signage for two businesses and a new single-family home at 73 Melrose, and with a Rotary Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning benefiting Maria Fareri Children's Hospital and a bike skills class on Nov. 22 at Village Hall. Trustee Slippen, according to the minutes, thanked the village manager and the board for accommodating early voting despite the disruption to staff. Mayor Brian Pugh thanked everyone who took part in Tuesday's election, "whether as candidates, poll watchers, or voters," Read 16:53▶ and invited residents to the Veterans Day ceremony the following Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Veterans Corners. Healy added that cold weather could move it indoors to Holy Name of Mary Church, and told residents to check before going.